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The Entrepreneur's Guide to a Good Night’s Sleep

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From the Wall Street trader to the regional sales manager, application programmer or small business owner, ambitious professionals often survive on five or six hours of sleep a night. And high-powered corporate cultures often confuse sleeplessness and caffeine haze with drive and success.

However, poor sleeping habits can be the antithesis of productivity. A survey of employees at four large U.S. corporations, cited in the Harvard Business Review blog, found that performance and productivity were significantly lower among workers with insomnia and other sleep trouble. Researchers estimated that sleep-related reductions in productivity were costing the four companies $54 million per year.

Harvard sleep researcher, Dr. Charles Czeisler, has found that getting four hours of sleep for five nights in a row can have a similar impact on memory, attention, and speed of thinking as being legally intoxicated.

"We would never say, 'This person is a great worker! He's drunk all the time!' yet we continue to celebrate people who sacrifice sleep for work," said Czeisler.

How Much Sleep Do You Need?

When it comes to sleep, there’s no one-size-fits-all magic number. The amount needed varies among different age groups, as well as individuals.

The following table from the National Sleep Foundation provides a general guideline that most experts have agreed upon, but the foundation advises paying attention to your own individual sleep needs by assessing how you feel on different amounts of sleep.

Advice for Healthy Sleep

As the mother of four (including one infant) and the CEO of a business we’re trying to grow in a rather difficult economy, I look upon a good night’s sleep as some kind of beautiful, mythical creature. With an infant, I’m not always in control of my nightly circumstances, but I am determined to change what I can to improve the quality of my sleep.

Here are some tips from experts to help all of us sleep better.

1. Wind Down and Dim the Lights Before Bed

Experts advise creating a bedtime ritual that has you relaxing 45 minutes before bedtime, letting your brain know that it’s time to wind down. You’ll need to find whatever type of ritual works for you, but be mindful of the impact of melatonin, a hormone that helps regulate your sleep–wake cycle.

This naturally occurring hormone is controlled by light exposure: When it’s dark, your brain secretes more melatonin to make you sleepy.

Dr. Czeisler found that exposure to bright light before bedtime suppresses melatonin production and may hinder your ability to sleep. This means that spending time in front of the television, computer, or tablet screen at night can disrupt your melatonin and make it harder to sleep.

2. Remove Technological Distractions From the Bedroom

Today’s sleepers have to contend with more technological distractions than ever before. How many of you keep your iPhone or other mobile device on your nightstand? The impulse to reach for your phone to check the time or look at emails may seem harmless enough, but the flash of a bright backlit device can signal your brain that it’s time to wake up.

As much as possible, the bedroom should be an uncluttered environment that’s geared toward sleep and relaxation. The Better Sleep Council breaks it down this way: “Use your bedroom for sleep and sex only.”

3. Invest in Your Sleep Environment

Given the fact that we spend approximately one-third of our lives in bed – and we now know that a good night’s sleep lays the foundation for a productive day ahead – investing in sleep represents a sound business decision.

This means buying the best quality and most comfortable mattress, pillow and sheets that you can afford. If you suffer from light or noise distractions, look into buying blackout liners for your windows, a white noise machine or even a fan.

4. Log Off on a Positive Note

In today’s 24/7 society, there’s an increasing need to work beyond the traditional nine to five. For small business owners and entrepreneurs in particular, the lines between work and personal hours blur even further.

If you do need to work at night, try ending on a positive note. By leaving one simple task to the end, you can check something off your to-do list right before bed. This gives you a sense of accomplishment and gives your mind closure as you turn in.

5. Watch Out for Your Bedtime Snack

Experts advise us to avoid rich, high-fat foods within two hours of bed, because they take longer to digest.

For some people, a light snack before bed – particularly one that pairs tryptophan and carbohydrates – can promote sleep. If you find yourself hungry before bed, opt for a turkey sandwich, banana, low-sugar cereal or granola with yogurt.

6. Seek Professional Treatment

The above tips are intended for adults with mild sleeping problems, but not necessarily for anyone experiencing medical problems. Doctors have described more than 70 sleep disorders, most of which can be managed effectively once they are correctly diagnosed. The most common sleep disorders include insomnia, sleep apnea, restless legs syndrome, and narcolepsy.

Consider scheduling a visit with a sleep doctor if you’re troubled with any of the following: persistent daytime sleepiness, loud snoring accompanied by pauses of breathing, or falling asleep at inappropriate times.

Good sleep strategies are essential to getting deep, restorative rest you can count on. If you’re having trouble getting rested, experiment to figure out what sleep strategies work for you. Most importantly, it’s time to dispel the myth that one less hour of sleep translates into one more hour of productivity.

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